Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [143]
Abode (Map; 310-394-3463; 1541 Ocean Ave; small plates $10-22, mains $26-39; 11:30am-2:30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm Sat & Sun, 5:30-10pm daily; ) The latest to enter the pantheon of respected gourmet restaurants in Santa Monica, Abode will indeed make you feel right at home. With chocolate booths, tangerine chairs and walnut tables, its design is as tastefully composed as its contemporary American cuisine. Only organic, sustainable and artesanal ingredients find their destiny in such dishes as arctic char with truffle berry guacamole and vegetarian eggplant chorizo.
Venice
BUDGET
Abbot’s Pizza (Map; 310-396-7334; 1407 Abbot Kinney Blvd; slices $2.50-3, pizzas $9.50-16; 11am-11pm; ) Join the flip-flop crowd at this shoebox-sized pizza kitchen for habit-forming crispy-crust pies tastily decorated with tequila-lime chicken, Portobello mushrooms, goat cheese and other gourmet morsels served up at tummy-grumbling speed.
Mao’s Kitchen (Map; 310-581-8305; 1512 Pacific Ave; lunch $7.50, mains $7-12; 11:30am-10:30pm Sun-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat) Cheap and cheerful, Mao’s feeds the local hipster proletariat with country-style Chinese prepared with SoCal flair (read: fresh ingredients, no MSG). Reliable menu picks include the orange-ginger chicken and the onion pancakes. Savvy eaters take advantage of the bargain lunches served until 5pm.
La Cabaña (Map; 310-392-6161; 738 Rose Ave; mains $7-14; 11am-3am) The party vibe is infectious at this late-night Mexican cottage with dark nooks for making out and a brick patio where smoking is allowed. Dishes are fresh and vividly spiced, a señora pounds out fresh tortillas and the margaritas kick butt. Best of all, they let you linger in peace until long after you’ve sopped up the last delicious drop.
Rose Café (Map; 310-399-0711; 220 Rose Ave; mains $8-11; café 8am-5:30pm, restaurant 8am-3pm; ) Laptop-toting writers, pony-tailed artists and beefcakes from nearby Gold’s Gym dig this Euro-style café-bakery with two hedge-framed patios to slurp your latte or scarf up rave-worthy salads and frittatas. Before leaving, browse for unique knickknacks in the little gift store.
MIDRANGE
Hal’s Bar & Grill (Map; 310-396-3105; 1349 Abbot Kinney Blvd; mains lunch $9-16, dinner $13-34; 11:30-2am Mon-Fri, 10-2am Sat & Sun; ) The name may evoke brass and wood, but Hal’s dining room is an all-cool industrial loft brightened by revolving art from local artists who treat the place like an extended living room. The menu, sourced from farm-fresh ingredients, changes seasonally but always features superbly executed staples such as grilled chicken ($18), Caesar salad ($7) and bread pudding with crème anglaise ($7). Free jazz on Sunday and Monday.
3 Square Café & Bakery (Map; 310-399-6504; 1121 Abbot Kinney Blvd; mains lunch $8-13, dinner $15-19; 8am-3pm Mon-Fri, 5-10pm Tue-Sat, 9am-4pm Sun; ) Hans Röckenwagner is back with a minimalist café where newbies and loyalists devour his famous pretzel burgers, gourmet sandwiches and apple pancakes. Next door, bakery shelves are piled high with rustic breads, fruity tarts and jam-oozing doughnuts called Berliners.
Beechwood (Map; 310-448-8884; 822 Washington Blvd; bar menu $4-15, mains $16-26; 6-11pm Tue-Sat, bar to 2am & 6pm-midnight Sun & Mon; ) With its woodsy details, cubic furniture and toasty fire-pit patio, this place is a luscious port of call for Modern American bistro fare. Singles and small groups gravitate to the lively bar to graze on richly flavored pork ribs or sweet-potato fries, while couples retreat to the dimly lit dining room for grilled barramundi, roast quail or other seasonal delights.
Sidewalk Café (Map; 310-399-5547; 1401 Ocean Front Walk, Venice; mains $9-14; 8am-11pm) For American staples with front-row seats of the Venice Boardwalk weirdness, there’s no better place than this tried-and-true café.
TOP END
Axe (Map; 310-664-9787; 1009 Abbot Kinney Blvd; mains lunch